The Angry Prophet

[Song] “Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life.  Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life.”

Hello, my name is Miss Barb!  Welcome to Lifeline English, the podcast that helps you know God and know English.

You can read the written script for today’s lesson online at lifelineenglish.com.

Today I want to teach you only two words.  Both words start with “pre”!

The first word is prevent.  Can you say, “prevent”?  Good!  To prevent means to stop something from happening.  It means to stop someone from doing something.  Sarah prevented her son Billy from running into the street.  She did not allow him to run into the street.  The rain prevented the fire from growing.  The rain stopped the fire from growing bigger.

The other word is prefer.  To prefer means to like something better than other things.  I prefer vanilla ice cream.  That means I like vanilla ice cream better than other flavors of ice cream.  He prefers reading to watching TV.  He likes reading more than he likes watching TV.



In our last stories, the people and the king of Nineveh listened to God’s message.  They turned from their evil.  Will God destroy them?  Will Jonah be happy?  You’ll find out today.  The story is called, “The Angry Prophet.”

God saw that the people of Nineveh turned from their evil.
Who turned? The people of Nineveh turned.
From what did the people turn?  The people turned from their evil.
Did the people continue to do evil?  No, the people turned from their evil. 
Who saw that the people turned?  God saw that the people turned.

God changed his mind.  He did not destroy them.
Who changed his mind?  God changed His mind.
What did God change His mind about?  God changed His mind about destroying Nineveh.
Did God destroy Nineveh?  No, He did not destroy it.
Why didn’t God destroy Nineveh?  God didn’t destroy Nineveh because the people turned from their evil.

But Jonah did not like this.  Jonah became very angry.
Did Jonah like this?  No, Jonah did not like this.
What didn’t Jonah like?  Jonah didn’t like that God changed His mind.
Was Jonah happy that God did not destroy Nineveh?  No, Jonah was not happy!
How did Jonah feel?  Jonah felt very angry.

He said to God, “I knew this would happen!”
Who talked to God?  Jonah talked to God. 
What did Jonah know would happen?  Jonah knew that God would change His mind.  He knew that God would not destroy Nineveh.

“I tried to prevent this.”
Who tried to prevent this?  Jonah tried to prevent this.
What did Jonah try to prevent?  Jonah tried to prevent God from changing His mind. 
Did Jonah prevent God from changing His mind?  No, Jonah tried to prevent this.  God did change His mind.
Did Jonah want God to destroy Nineveh?  Yes, Jonah wanted God to destroy Nineveh.  He tried to prevent God from changing His mind.
 
“That’s why I ran away to Tarshish.”
Who ran away?  Jonah ran away.
Where did Jonah run away to?  Jonah ran away to Tarshish.
Why did Jonah run away?  Jonah ran away so that God would destroy Nineveh.

“I know You are kind, slow to get angry, and full of love.”
Who knows about God?  Jonah knows about God.
Who is kind?  God is kind.
Does God get angry?  Yes, God gets angry.
Does God get angry quickly?  No, God is slow to get angry.
How much love does God have?  God is full of love.
Was Jonah full of love?  No, Jonah was full of hate. 
Did Jonah love Nineveh?  No, Jonah hated Nineveh.
Did Jonah love God?  No, Jonah was angry at God.  Jonah was angry because God was kind to Nineveh.

“You change your mind about destroying people.”
Who changes his mind about destroying people?  God changes His mind about destroying people.
Who did God not destroy?  God did not destroy Nineveh.  God also did not destroy Jonah and the sailors during the big storm. 

“So, God, please kill me.  I prefer being dead to being alive.”
Who wanted to die?  Jonah wanted to die.
Did Jonah want to be alive?  No, Jonah wanted to be dead.
Did Jonah want to commit suicide?  No, Jonah wanted someone to kill him.
Who did Jonah ask to kill him?  Jonah asked God to kill him!
Why did Jonah want to die?  Jonah was angry.  He wanted God to destroy the people of Nineveh.  If the people of Nineveh did not die, Jonah wanted to die. 

Let’s listen to the whole story together.

God saw that the people of Nineveh turned from their evil.  God changed his mind.  He did not destroy them.
But Jonah did not like this.  Jonah became very angry.
He said to God, “I knew this would happen! I tried to prevent this. That’s why I ran away to Tarshish.  I know You are kind, slow to get angry, and full of love. You change your mind about destroying people. So, God, please kill me. I prefer being dead to being alive.”

I will tell the story one more time.  This time, I will pause before certain words.  When I pause, you can say the word that comes next.  See if you can remember the word before I say it!

God saw that the people of…. Nineveh turned from their …. evil.  God changed His…  mind.  He did not …  destroy them.
But Jonah did not like this.  Jonah became very … angry.
He said to God, “I knew this would happen! I tried to…  prevent this. That’s why I… ran away to Tarshish.  I know You are... kind, slow to get... angry, and full of... love. You change your mind about... destroying people. So, God, please... kill me. I prefer being... dead to being... alive.”

Good job! 

Are you like God?  Are you kind, slow to anger, and full of love?  Are you happy when bad people turn from their evil?  Or, are you like Jonah?  Are you happy when bad people are destroyed? 

Do you have any questions?  You can write me.  Go to our website, lifelineenglish.com. 

Until next time, may Jesus help you know Him and know English.  Good bye!

[Song] “Jesus only savior, sanctify forever, beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.  Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.”